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English Communication for Scientists [Internet] SERIE: TOPICS IN CLINICAL RESEARCH AND METHODOL OGY SCIENTIFIC COMMUNICATION: THE ART OF PREPARING AND PRESENTING SCIENTIFIC RESULTS Comunicação científica: a arte de preparar e apresentar resultados científicos Ludovic Saint-Félixa,b, Alexandre Vaz Machadoc, Monique Scalcoa, Valdenize Tizianid, Rivadávio Amorima This article is part of a special series designed to help authors in the process of scientific writing and communication. The objective of the study was to provide tools and strategies to prepare and achieve effective forms of oral communication, especially related to posters and oral presentations. A non-systematic literature research (PubMed/Web of Science) was performed to retrieve relevant data about how to prepare posters, oral presentation and how to control anxiety caused by oral speeches. In addition, a brief overview of innovative and recent digital tools is also provided. The scientific literature proves some interesting recommendations for preparing a good poster or a slide show and to avoid public speech anxiety as well. A list of available digital tools for such ABSTRACT preparation was also disclosed. The rules for oral or poster communication differ from those related to manuscript writing. The quality of oral scientific communication can be improved by following such rules. KEYWORDS: posters; health communication; anxiety; scientific communication and diffusion. Este artigo é parte de uma série especial que foi desenvolvida para auxiliar autores no processo da redação científica e comunicação. O estudo teve o objetivo de fornecer ferramentas e estratégias para preparar e alcançar formas efetivas de comunicação oral, especialmente para pôsteres e apresentações orais. Realizou-se uma pesquisa não-sistemática da literatura (PubMed/Web of Science) para levantar dados relevantes sobre como preparar pôsteres, apresentação oral e como controlar a ansiedade causada por apresentações em público. Além disso, também é fornecido um breve resumo de inovações e ferramentas digitais RESUMO recentes. As regras para a comunicação oral ou pôster diferem daquelas relacionadas à escrita do manuscrito. A qualidade da comunicação científica oral pode ser melhorada seguindo tais regras. PALAVRAS-CHAVE: pôsteres; comunicação em saúde; ansiedade; comunicação e divulgação científica. aPost-Graduation Program in Medical Sciences, School of Medicine, Universidade de Brasília (UnB) – Brasília (DF), Brazil. bCentro Nacional de Recursos Genéticos, Empresa Brasileira de Pesquisa Agropecuária (Embrapa) – Brasília (DF), Brazil. cPost-Graduation Program in Pharmaceutical Sciences, School of Medicine, UnB – Brasília (DF), Brazil. dCenter of Learning and Research, Hospital da Criança de Brasília José Alencar (HCBDF) – Brasília (DF), Brazil. Correspondence data Ludovic Saint-Félix – Pós-Graduação em Ciências Médicas, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade de Brasília, Campus Darcy Ribeiro – Asa Norte – CEP: 70910-900 – Brasília (DF), Brasil – E-mail: [email protected] Received on: 02/08/2017. Accepted on: 03/31/2017 DOI: 10.5327/Z2447-211520171700008 50 Geriatr Gerontol Aging. 2017;11(2):50-5 Saint-Félix L, Machado AV, Scalco M, Tiziani V, Amorim R INTRODUCTION research and its results. One key point of posters is to be The transfer of knowledge is one of the most challenging “self-explaining”: readers should be able to clearly understand tasks faced by scientists around the world and in all fields of them only by reading. The first author generally presents the research. One of the major points that contributes to such poster during poster sessions in scientific conferences and difficulty is the heterogeneity of the audience, which may meetings. Since the speaker is directly facing the public, it is be consisted by peer researchers, company staff, or even the a good way to have an immediate feedback from specialists general public.1 According to Polit and Hungler, “the most and experts. Posters can also be used for general communi- brilliant piece of work is of little value to the scientific com- cation to the public, students etc. Considering that a poster munity unless that work is known”.2 session can gather up to several hundreds of presentations, Therefore, the diffusion of research results is essential for each poster must be “attractive” to catch the attention of the researchers and clinicians. Above all, it must be pointed out audience. Hence, the layout of posters can be as important that it is also an ethical and civic obligation.3 There are several as the scientific messageper se.8,9 Recently, some scientific types of scientific communication at the knowledge transfer events provide the required structure to show digital versions scenario, such as oral communication and poster presenta- of posters (iPoster) on screens. tion.1,4 It is noteworthy that oral communication can lead to high levels of anxiety with great impact on the quality of A poster is not a research paper speech.5 Moreover, the formatting and clarity of the support Research articles and posters share some common rules, material are critical for success in captivating the audience since their major goal is to transfer scientific knowledge. and transferring the scientific message.6 However, articles can be read several times to be under- As facing an audience can seem to be an overwhelming stood and all data may be accessed again whenever neces- experience, this manuscript aims to support researchers and sary, which is not the case of posters. One of the challenges clinicians in preparing a clear poster or oral presentation. when creating a poster is to decide which parts of the research The main obstacles encountered and their solutions will be are critical to be described and those that are not essential.8 specified. Using this article should help to achieve an effec- Generally, a poster focuses on the background, the research tive scientific communication. Strategies will be detailed for questions, the results and the conclusion. The methods sec- the following points: tion is important, but it should not be as detailed as in a sci- 1. How to prepare a good poster; entific article. Nonetheless, if the goal is to publicize a new 2. How to prepare a good oral presentation; developed technique, details and innovations related to it are 3. Which digital tools can be used in scientific of utmost relevance and must be presented. Considering that communication. the poster is a concise form of communication, some of the parts of research articles are not always important: abstract, This article is meant as a tool to convey a clear scientific references, acknowledgments and logotypes are generally message when presenting a poster or giving an oral pre- not required in a poster and must be avoided or reduced at sentation. Undoubtedly, good communication depends on a minimum. However, some conferences impose to observe good research bases, such as an appropriate research ques- certain requirements, especially the dimensions of the poster. tion, well-designed methodology and accurate analyses of In some situations, the logotypes, references and even a tem- the results.7 plate can be required. Knowing the audience helps to define A non-systematic research was carried out on PubMed the best approach so that information can be transferred and Web of Science databases to retrieve articles about sci- successfully. For instance, the audience of a meeting gen- entific oral communication and speech anxiety. The keywords erally consists of specialists in the field of research, so the used were “poster”, “poster presentation” “oral communica- transferred knowledge should be very specific. On the other tion”, “slideshow”, “speech anxiety”. hand, for viewers such as students, scholars of other areas or non-scientific professionals, the results must be presented in How to prepare a good poster a more didactic format. “Less is more” is an important clue to take into account What is a poster and when to do it? while preparing a poster.10 A clear poster should never be Posters are big pieces of paper or fabric cloth (large crowded and part of it should remain blank.9,11 The amount of variety of sizes) that are hung on a vertical surface. They text should be limited and long phrases avoided. Clear graph- are meant to quickly convey information about an area of ics, images and diagrams, with a short explanation convey Geriatr Gerontol Aging. 2017;11(2):50-5 51 How to perform good oral communication? information better than large blocks of text. Finally, it is not The colors of the poster are crucial for the attractiveness uncommon to find posters containing pixelated images and of the poster. A black and white poster will be dull and bor- graphics with low resolution. ing. On the other hand, an excessively colorful poster can be confusing. The right middle is to use a combination of Formatting of a poster four colors: a dark one (usually black) for the text, a light The formatting of the poster includes the selection one (usually white) for the background and two other colors. of fonts, size of the text, diagrams and colors. Bad for- The background can also be an image linked to the topic. matting can quickly tire the brain out, and will certainly The two other colors should be used in order to draw boxes, compromise the interest of the expected visitors. A good forms and to color the diagrams. Tones of blue and green formatting will attract and make viewers curious, even if are calming colors and are quite popular in communication. the results of are not the most striking in the poster ses- Red, orange or yellow are appealing and can be used to high- sion. Therefore, some critical aspects related to formatting light data.9 The contrast and tones between two adjacent must be mentioned. The poster should be divided into two colors should be adapted. For example, using white and yel- to four equal columns. The number and width of the col- low or complementary colors causes much strain on the eyes.
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